Refrigerating-car.



L. H; LISTER.

RBFRIGERATING GAR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE l7 1909.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1 H, LISTER.

REFRIGERATING CAR.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JUH- Patented. E0129, E1910 2 BHEETS-8BEBT 2.

M w W LEVI H. LISTER, E BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO BOUS LOG, OF GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI.

REFRIGERATING-CAR.

7 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnvt H. LISTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bay St. Louis, in the county of Hancock and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerating-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has particular reference to a refrigerating; system adapted for the use of cold storage cars, although the system is applicable to cold storage Warehouses or other structures adapted for the storage of perishable goods.

In the icing of refrigerator cars, it is the usual practice to store the ice at each end of the car, and thereafter renew the ice from time to time during transit, but this method has been found defective, in that the goods,

'as, for instance, fruit, stored in the center of the car Will frequently spoil, in large measure, by reason of the inequalities in temperature throughout the car, due to the method of storing the ice. Where the ice is stored at the ends of the car, the cold air of the load usually takes place in the center of the car, and particularly near the top. Furthermore, such a method of refrigeration is wasteful. of ice, for the reason that it necessitates a lateral radiation, so that the lowermost blocks of ice will radiate for but a very short distance laterally into the interior of the ear.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the ditticulties above noted, by so arranging the car that the ice will be stored in thctop of the car from end to end, and not at the ends of the car, whereby the cold air radiated from the ice will fall directly and evenly onto the load stored beneath the ice.

The invention, furthermore, relates to the means provided for loading the ice into position within the ice chambers; to the means for draining the ice chambers to prevent leakage into the storage chamber, With- Specification of Letters Eatent. I Patent-3d N 29 1919,

Application filed .Tune 17, 1909.

Seria1No.502,651. v H

out impeding the flow of cold air thereto;

to the means for holding the ice"'against displacement, due to the arring or jerking of the car; and to the invention as a. Wholeand the individual parts thereof.

Furtherv objects will appear from ardetailed description of the invention, whichconsists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In thedravvings, Figure 1 is a sectional plan View of the ice chamber of a refrigerator car; Fig. 2 a sectional elevation of the entire car; Fig. 3 a cross sectional elevation of the same, taken through the center of the car; Fig. 4 a detail of one of the hangers for supporting the floor rails of the ice chaniber; Fig. 5 a detail, showing the drainage conduit at one end of the car; and Fig. 6 a detail of the coarse grating adapted to be used as a. support for the ice.

The invention, as shown in the present our bodinient, is applied to a refrigerator ear having a slightly peaked outer roof 7, below which are fiat inner and outer ceilings 8 and 9, respectively, leaving inner and outer air chambers 10 and 11, respectively, which are desirable in order to thoroughly insulate the ice to be stored in the upper part of the car. The car is further provided with outer and inner double side Walls 12 and 13, respec tively, and outer and inner double end Walls 142 and 15, respectively v i The general construction of the car, asregards the arrangement of the Walls and the lining therefor, follows the standard practice in the construction of refrigerator cars or similar cold storage structures. The ice is stored in the upper partof the car in an overhead ice chamber 16 of'full vvidth between the inner side walls. The overheadice chamber extends at one end up to theend Wall of the car, and at. the other end terminates short of the end of the car, to provide an end ice chamber 17, although, obviously, the ice chamber may be aitordedat the opposite end of the car, or bothend icechambers may be omitted and the overheadice schamber alone provided. The r'eniaining'car space is in the term of a storage chamb er I18 105 having the usual sidedoors 19. The floor of the overhead ice chamber is supported from the ceilings by means of a pair of hangers 20, in the form shown in Fi .4, each of, which hangers comprises a short. center bracket 21 and a long end bracket 22, and a connecting rail 23 provided, on each side, with a grooved flange 2a. The brackets are bolted or otherwise secured to the ceiling of the overhead ice chamber, and the center brackets, being shorter than the end brackets, serve to afford a slight incline in each direction from the center toward the ends of the car.

Each of the grooved flanges cotiperates with a flanged bar 25 secured to the adjacent inner side wall of the car and extending parallel with the grooved flange on the hanger; and the flanged hangers and. plates, co2ipcrating together, serve "to afford a mounting for a plurality of cross bars 26 provided with downturned ends 2?, which fit into the grooves. The bars afford a lrainework upon which is laid a plurality of longitudinally extending rails 28, which have a slope or incline from the center toward the ends of the car, which rails provide an open floor for supporting the cakes of ice, which are load ed into the overhead ice chamber through a pair of chutes29 located ne. r the center of the car, and closed by means of an outer door 30 and an inner door 31, furnishing a dead air chamber between the doors. The arrangement iss one which. permits the cakes of ice to be loaded in at the center and to slide by gravity or otherwise toward the ends along the supporting rails. In place of the supporting rails, open frames 32., provided with a heavy mesh 32-, may be laid in I SE-position to afford an open flooring for the ice chamber, although the ra'ls will ordinarily be found superior, especially in car construction.

The cross bars 26 further furnish a mounting for a plurality of inverted upper troughs 34 which coiiperate with a plurality of lower troughs 35 arranged to break joints with the upper troughs, which lower troughs are carried by a plurality of swinging cross bars 36 hinge at their outer ends, to vertical slide bars 37 adapted to be vertically adjusted by means of a hand lever 38, or other suitable devices, on top of the car, for re ulating the distance between the upper and lower troughs, in order to thereby regulate the circulation of cold air through the interstices between the troughs. The inner ends of the bars 36 are supported, on each side of the connecting rails 23, by means of pins 39 which are entered into vertical sliding bars 87 similar to the vertical bars The lower troughs are all adapted to discharge at their eIidsinto header troughs ll and 42, atthe eridsof the storage chamber, which header 60 troughs are preferabl furnished by provid ing mner and outer linings a3 and 44, re-

. sfiectivel leaving a discharge space between t e two linings. v

Inv order to prevent leakage, the inner Mu'liningdgt is provided, at its upper and, with a transversely extending lip l5 which underlies the ends of the longitudinally ere tending troughs, as shown in Fig. viously, other means might be provided for draining oil the drippings carried down through the troughs. In order to hold th cakes of ice against displacement during transit, a plurality of trai'isverselv extending spacing frames 46 are provided,'each in the form of a rod having thereon a plurali"'v of teeth d7, which rod, at its ends, is off. t to allord a crank section. l-S terininating in a hand lever l9,a ratchet wheel and spring dogs 51, or other similar devices, be ing provided to hold the lever and spacing bracket in adjusted position. 1

In use, the inner and outer icing doors will be opened, and the cakes of ice deposited through the roof in the center of the car. It will be noticed that the rails are substantially flat for a short distance in the center, so that the cakes of ice, when first deposited, will remain stations. until directed in either direction toward i .e ends of the icing chamber. As soon as cake of ice is moved from the center position, it will slide down toward the end of the ice chamber under the spacing frames, which, during the loadin operation, will be swung to, the position shown in dotted lines in l 3, which allows the cakes of ice to pass under the frames. As the ends'of the ice chamber are filled, the spacing frames can. be successively lowered, so that the cakes ice will be held in substantially the positions in which they are initially deposited, and this is important in order to prevent the cakes of ice, after they have partially melted, from packing solely in the ends of the ice chamber and leaving the center oi the chamber empty. Furthermore, the spacing frames are important in preventing undue movement of the ice cakes when subjected to the jarring and jerking of the train, which might result in damage if such movements were unimpeded. 1

In the shipping of perishable produce, such as berries, it is desirable that the car should be cooled rapidly and maintained at this temperature throughout transit. In order to initially cool the car, the lower series of troughs may be lowered by move ments of thelevers 38, which lowering will enlarge the openings between the upper and lower-series of troughs and afi ord little or no impediment to the descent of the cold air from the overhead ice chamber. At the same time the arrangement of troughs is one which prevents drippings from the ice from coming in contact with the cargo, After thecar has been initially cooled. the lower series of troughs can beelevated to bring them'into close proximity to or into actual contact.- with the inverted up er series of troughs, so that i and a:

' tron gllS from the overhead ice chamber will be dc creased, thereby maintaining a low temperatiue without unduly meltiup and *:1st.- mg the ice.

When it is desired. to cleanthe troughs, this can be readily accomplished by swinging down the lower series on their hinges inllo parallelism with the sides of the car, which affords easy access to both the upper and lower series oi troughs.

it will be understood that it is not limited such application, and that in. the claims,

where the term car is employed, it is the ention, unless otherwise restricted, to

r any other cold storage strucv and desire to se- Letters Patent 1s:

.. a refrigerator 0: u an ice supporting t l ocat-ed near the top of the car so as a; an an oi-erhead ice chamber, said floor sloping downwardly from the center tinvard t-h end of the car and support by a pl urality of transversely extendin bars suitably secured to the can body, a door opening into the chamber above and in substan Mil al'inement with the most elevated portion oi the sloping door, a series of iu i ertcd upper troughs below the ice chan'iber, independent lower troughs below the upper troughs and bi .alringjoints, substantially as described.

re'trigerating car, an icesuppm-ting iioor located near the top of the car so as to form an overhead ice chamber, said floor sloping downwardly from the center toward thceuds oi the car and supported by a plurality 0t? transversely extending bars secured "to the side walls of the car body, a door opening into the ice chamber above'and in Substantial alineinent with the most elevated portion of the sloping. fioor, a series i'a'werted upper troughs below the ice chambers, and a series of independent lower clow the upper trimghs and breaking joints therewith, the lower series of trougts being vertically adjustable toward and from the series of upper troughs, substantially as described.

3. A retrigerating car, an ice-supporting i'lcor located near the top of the car so as to form an overhead ice chamber, said floor sloping downwardly from the center, toward the ends of the car and supported by a plurality 'ot transversely extending bars secured to the side walls of the car body, a door opening into the ice cln'unbcr above and in substantial alinement with the most elevated portion ot the sloping floor, a series of inverted upper troughs below the ice chamber. a series of independent lower troughs below the upper troughs and breathing joint therewith, and a transversely extendlug header trough into which the lower troughs discharge, substantially described.

l. A refrigeiatinp; car, an ice-supporting floor located near the top of the car so as to term an overhead ice chamber, said floor sloping downwardly from the center toward the ends of the car and supported by a plurality of transversely extending bars cured to the side :alls of the car body, a

.door opening into the ice chamber above and chambers, a series of independent lower troughs below the upper troughs and breaking joints therewith, the lower series of troughs being vertically adjustable toward and from the series of upper troughs, and a transversely extendin header trough into which the. lower troughsdischarge, substantially as described,

5. in a refrigerator car, an ice supporting floor located i ear the top of the air so as to form an overhead ice :hamber, said floor sloping downwardly from the center toward the ends of the car and supported by a plurality of transversely cxtendiz'ig l US sccured to the side walls of the car body, a center (.ing door in the root of the ice chainber above the most elevated portion of the floor, and means located above the ice supporting floor for preventing movement of he ice along said ice supporting floor, substantially as d ribed. l

- 6. in a, refrigerator car, an ice supporting" floor located 1108! the top of the car so, as to form an overlie: d ice chamber, said floor sloping downwardly from the center toward the ends of the ca and supported by a.plurality of transversely extending; bars secured to the side walls of the car body, a center icing door in therooi of the ice chamber above the most elevated portion of the f oor, a series of inverted troughs below the ice chamber; a series of independent lower troughs below the upper troughs, and breaking joints therewith, and means located above the ice supporting floor for preventing movement of the ice along said ice supporting floor, substantially described.

7. In a refrigerator car, an. ice supporting 'tioor located near the top of the car so as to form an overhead icc chamber, said floor the ends of the car and supportediby a pin abov above the most elevated portion of the floor,

transversely extending head or trough into 'rality of cross bars having their inner ends are sloping downwardly froin the center toward rality of transversely extending bars secured to the side walls of-the car body, a center icing door in the root of the ice chamber V the most elevated portion of the floor, a se of inverted troughs below the ice chamber, a series of independent lower troughs below the upper troughs, and breaking joints therewith, the lower series of troughs being vertically adjustable toward and from the upper series of troughs, and means located above the ice supporting floor or preventing movement of the ice along said ice supporting floor, substantially as described. 1

8. In a refrigerator car, an ice supporting floor located near the top oi? the car so as to form an overhead ice chamber, said floor sloping downwardly from the center toward the ends oi. the car and supported by a plurality o1" transversely extending bars secured to the side walls of the car body, a center icing door in the root of the ice chamber a series of inverted upper troughs below the ice chamber, a series of independent lower troughs below the upper troughs, and breaking joints therewith, a transversely extending inner trough into which the lower troughs discharge, and means located above the ice supporting floor for preventing movement of the ice along said ice supporttloor, substantially as described,

9. in a refrigerator car, an ice supporting floor located near the top of the car so as to form an overhead ice chamber, said tloor sloping downwardly from the center toward the ends of the car and supported by'a plurality of transversely extending bars secured to the side walls of the car body, a center icing door in the roof of the ice chamber above the roost elevated portion of the floor, a series of inverted upper troughs below the ice chamber, a series of independent lower troughs below the upper troughs, and breaking' joints therewith, the lower series of troughs being vertically adjustable toward and from the upper series of troughs, a

which the lower troughs discharge, and ineansdocated above the ice supporting floor for preventing movement of the ice along said ice supporting floor, substantially as described.

10. In a refrigerating car, a air of center hangers extending longitudina ly of the car and suspended from the root thereofla plusu ported by the hangers and their outer en s' s ported from the side walls of the 5 car, a p urality of longitudinally extending rails laid upon the bars and sloping downwardly from the center toward the ends of the car, and an icing door in the car near the roost elevated portion of the rails, substantially as described.

11. In a refrigerating car, a pair of center hangers extending longitudinally of the car and suspended from the roof thereof, a plurality of cross bars having their inner ends supported by the hangers and their outer ends supported from the side walls of the car, plurality of longitudinally extending rails laid upon the bars and sloping downwardly from the center toward the ends of the car, an icing door in the car near the most elevated portion of the rails, series of inverted upper troughs supportc below the cross bars, and a series of lower roughs located below and breaking joints with. the upper troughs, substantially as described.

12. In a refrigerating car, a air of center hangers extending longitudina ly of the car and suspended from the roof thereof, aplurality of cross bars having their inner ends the cross bars, and a series of lower troughs located below and breakingjoints with the upper troughs, the lower series of troughs being vertically adjustable toward and from the series of upper troughs, substantially as described.

13. In a refrigerating car, a pair of center hangers extending longitudinally oi? the car and suspended from the root thereof, a plurality of cross bars having their inner ends supported by the hangers and their outer ends supported -it'roin the side walls of the car, a plurality of longitudinally extending rails laid \upon the 'bars and sloping down wardly from the center toward the ends of the car, an icing door in the car near the most elevated portions ofthe rails, a series of inverted upper troughs supported below the cross bars, a series of lower troughs lo cated below and breaking joints with the upper troughs, the lower series of troughs L. doses. 

